Knitting machine



K. HOWIE Feb. 17, 1948.

' KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 194

Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m N M M Feb. 17, 1948. ow 2,436,171

KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 KENNETH How/s,

the several yarn carriers between the sinker notches and the needles while keeping the ends of the sinker noses in fabric hold-down position. The shooting home of thejack sinkers in itself causes the long sinker noses thereof to be set into vibration.

In addition, during the laying of the stitches,

the yarn carrier ends of the threads are loose, but

the previously laid ends are held against move ment. Thus, as a jack sinker draws yarn from the yarn carriers and sinks it between the needles, the yarn reeves through the jack sinker notch, and this reeving action also produces vibration of the sinker.

As the main body of the sinker behind its notch is restrained against free vibration by the sinker mounting head and by the yarn itself, the vibration thus produced tends to concentrate in the unrestrained nose portions of the sinker.

The continued vibration of the noseportion of the sinkers thus produced ultimately results in fatigue of the metal at the root of the sinker noses and leads to the breakage frequently experienced thereat. I

In the present invention the frequent breakage of the jack sinker noses isavoided by a special construction of these sinkers, and the operation of the sinkers in relation to the associated parts of the machine is modified in an advantageous manner, which, among other things, enables a successful operation employing very short nosed sinkers with long nosed dividers. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-4, the dividing sinkers iii are of conventional form with the usual long nose portions I 00 (measured from the sinker notches lob) but the jack sinkers II, which in the conventional form are subject to breakage as aforesaid, are provided with very short noses Hd (measured from the notch lib) which avoids breakage of the noses. I

In conventional practice, it is customary to in Fig. 2, the jack sinkers H remaining, however,

provide a single compound-motion catch bar to retract the jack sinkers and divider sinkers as a unit, and to arrange for raising of the catch-bar to free the jack sinkers therefrom for advancement by the slur cock. In contradistinction to this arrangement, in the present invention an improved retracting means is provided compris ing a divider bar and a sinker bar independently movable in coordinated relation to each other. Thus, in the illustrated arrangement of Figs. 1-4 the dividers ill are controlled by a divider bar l2 having rear and front walls In and l2b of equal height, which can simply be advanced and retracted to move the dividing sinkers, and the jack sinkers i I are controlled by a separate sinker bar i3, which does not rise to allow the sinkers to pass under it, but is itself advanced ahead'of the sinkers prior tothe operation of the slur cook. The sinker bar I3, in the form shown, comprises a single hook-shaped member i311 carried by a slide member i3b, and is adapted to retract the sinkers H into contact with an appropriately placed abutment. In the form of Figs. 1-4 the 4 abutment is provided by the front portion I20 of the divider bar i 2, and is contacted by the backs of the sinker-butts or tabs lie of sinkers ll.

With this arrangement, when the sinkers and dividers are retracted to the position of Fig. 1 prior to the laying of the yarn, the long noses l-oc of dividers 10 project between the needles I Thus the divider noses are kept in place over the work l5, and yet ample space is provided to ac 'commodate the several yarn carriers, of whichv ,one is shown at I 6.

When a course of yarn is about to be laid, the sinker bar 13 is advanced from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to its forward position illustrated in the position of Fig. 1, ready to be advanced sequentially and rapidly to the position of Fig. 2 by the action of the slur cock. The sinkers H, as they reach the position of Fig. 2 and strike the verge plate or folding bar (not shown) may be retained thereagainst by any suitable means; for example, by sinker hooks, as shown in my Patent No. 1,958,823, issued May 15, 1934.

On completion of the slurring operation, the divider bar l2 is advanced from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3. In this position the yarn notches "lb of the dividers are brought into alignment with the yarn notches I lb of the sinkers, and the needles l4 dropping back as usual, the stitches are divided equally between the needles. At this point, in this illustrative embodiment the abutment i2c carried by the divider bar may contact the backs of the jack sinkers, as shown, and this contact may be maintained during release of the sinker hooks, above mentioned.

At the stage indicated in Fig. 3, the needles I 4 are descending, and after their beards have embraced the newly laid course of yarn, are pressed in the usual fashion.

During the movement to the press" position the notch alignment is maintained. In the arrangement of Figs. 1-4 the gripping of the sinker tabs lie between the sinker and divider bars l2 and i 3 maintains it.

The alignment of the sinker and divider notches is also maintained during the pressing and during the first part of the draw-down operation until the loops are fully assembled in the heads of the needles and extend substantially vertically between them and the sinker and divider notches. Thereafter the needles continue to descend and the sinkers and dividers are retracted relative to them as the sinker loops are the needles is completed the dividers begin to re-.

tract more rapidly than the sinkers. This removes the divider bar H from contact with the backs of the sinkers II, but this causes no difliculty with flying sinkers during the draw-down and delivery of the loops, as the loops are not pulled tight on the noses of the sinkers and dividers.

In producing the relative motion between the sinkers, dividers and needles during the drawdown operation, the short n sed. sinker I! may.

while the short noses lid of the jack sinkers; H are entirely retracted from the needle spacesa rears:

.b'e'l'ield practically stationary and the relative motion may' be producedby dropping out of the sneedles-irelativetothe sinkers and by retraction of the dividers to-align their noses with those of the-sinkers at. the moment when the loops drop ofiithe noses. This dropping away of the needles during the draw-down operation also reduces -=the 'speed-of retraction of the divider bar l2.

At the-moment when the sinker loops fall off the :ends of the sinkers and: dividers, the :ends of the'sinker' and-- divider noses-"are aligned, as shown .-.in Fig. 4, and the stitches are thus delivered to thei'fabric simultaneously. The new loops'are "then drawn into the fabric,'and as the needles 120 %to their lowest position the old loops are knocked over the heads of the needles by the knockover bits, as is well known. Following the ikn'ockover operation, the motion of the sinker and divider bars issreversed, and the sinkers and dividers are advanced tohold down the fabric :du'ring rising of the needles. Preferably the sinkers and dividers are advanced so that the needles which are rising a short distance from the press "position pass upwardly between the sinkers and dividers .in substantial alignment with the yarn notches thereof. Thus the noses or the sinkers and dividers overlie thefabri'c and strip down-the newloops-"onto the stems of the needles. r

When the needles have passed through the throats er the sinkers andhividers they continue to rise to the top-or their stroke, and then lower slightlyto remove-thefabric from the underside of the sinke s and dividers and lay it upon the knockover bits. During this last rising and low- .eringactiomthe sinkers and dividers may be retracted to their starting position illustrated in Fig. 1.

Special provision may be made for retraction of the sinkers and dividers :beyond the point; indicated: in Fig. 1., asv during; fashioning, for example. In this operation, during the narrowing the sinkers and dividers are retracted a little further than in straight knitting to clear the narrowing points when they move across the needles.

The sinker anddivider bars may be given their fore and aft motions respectively by anysuitable means, as by linkages similar to those employed for giving fore and" aft motion to the ordinary catch b,ar,,which may be driven by cams suitably designed to impart the desired movements to the bars in timed relation to the operation of the machine as a whole. One form of such means is illustrated in Fig. 5. As there shown, the divider bar [2 is engaged by a link pivoted to one end of a bell crank lever 2|, which turns about an axis 22 and has at its other end a roller 23 bearing against the periphery of the divider bar operating cam 24, which may be mounted on the main shaft of the machine and has its periphery designed to impart to the dividers ill, in timed relation to the operation of the machine as a whole, the movements above indicated. The sinker bar l3 in this arrangement is connected by a pivoted link to one end of a bell crank lever 3| pivoted on an aXis 32, which carries at its other end a roller 33 similarly engaging the surface of a driving cam 34-which may be car rled on the same shaft 35 on which cam 24 is mounted. Since the particular shapes of the cams 24 and 34 are determined by the particular cycle of the machine and the proportions and arrangement of the linkages connecting the cam rollers 23 and 33 with the divider and sinker bars 12 and Ii -81nd are matters ot-desig n, portions only of cams 2'4 'and $4 are shown ior' sirnpilcity of illustration.

The forms of -sinker and --divider bars- I2 and 13 shown in "Fig.5 are substantially the same those shown in Figs. 1 to 4, andtlre'se rangements theleng-thspf the-sinkers" It,- easured .irom their tabs -I tc to their yar'n notches 1 lb, are less than the'zlengthso'f the div-iders H! measured from their sees llldto theinyarn notches Hlb. V

In the modifications 'shown' in Figs. 6 andfi, provision is made for the use of sinkers and dividers having equal lengths measured -'fr'oih their tabs totheir yarn notches. Iir'th-is arrange ment, the sinker tab 10 is relativelyshort as compared with the dividertab l l-, a nd the divider bar 42 has its forward wall-Mbterminated at a height which insures"retaii'iirig ofthe divider tabs 41 between 'the front andrear walls Mb and Mm-but which allows-the shorter sinker tabs to move under the wall-42bfrom-the position shown in Fig. 6 to that'shown in Fig."7. Inthis arrangement "the sinker bar has 'its sinker engaging hookflrzterminating in' a'rearwar'dly extending flange-13b" which abuts-the 'sinkertabs '40 and follows them under the divider bar'wall 42b to align them "with the sinker tabs 41" in abutting relation'to the rear wall fla oflthe divider bar.

The mode of operation'of; this embodiment of the invention may "be generally the same astha't o'f'the emb'odimentshown in Figs'l through"5, and in thi'slarrang'ement thewall' fla constitutes the abutmentgcorresponding' to: I 20 mere; '1. While it is preferred. to. provide. sinkerand divider noses of. proportionate curvature (eliminating fromconsideration. the. selvage slots-Yin the dividers). andlto retract'nthem. from their stitch measuring. positions at rates corresponding. to their nose lengthsto provide: forI-smooth sliding of. the loops toward their release point, such proportional retnaction of the sinker-s and dividers is not essential! in: thebroader. aspects :of the inventionso long: as yarn notch alignment is maintained during; measurement of thezzsitches and nose alignment. is attained. at the instant .the stitchessare: drawn :offthe noses and. into the fabric. r

From. the; foregoing iitwwill; beapparent that the embodiments; showno and described: are but illustrative and not restrictive-of the-invention herein disclosed and claimed, and that inventive features and combinations of this disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms.

What I claim is:

1. A full fashioned knitting machine having a. group of short nosed sinkers and a group of long nosed dividers, and means for positioning said sinkers and dividers to align their yarn notches for measurement of a course of stitches, and for thereafter altering their relative positions to align their nose tips for simultaneous release of the sinker loops of said .course to the fabric.

2. A knitting machine employing sinkers and dividers for measuring the stitches, particularly characterized in that the sinkers have short noses and the dividers have long noses, measured from their respective yarn notches, and in that said sinkers and dividers are retracted from their stitch measuring position at different rates to provide for uniform release of the sinker loops. during the draw-down operation,

3. In a knitting machine of the type employtheir, advanced ing a group of sequentiallyadvanced ing' sinkers and dividers for measuring the stitches, in combination, short nosed sinkers and long nosed dividers, said sinkers and dividers in position having their yarn notches in alignment, a bar for retracting said sinkers as a. group, a bar for retracting said dividers as a group, the said bars being independently retracted during draw-down of the sinker loops to provide for uniform release of the sinker loops to the fabric.

4. A full fashioned knitting machine employsinkers and a group of simultaneously advanced dividers, and having retracting means therefor, particularly characterized in that the sinker group retracting means is operable independently of the divider group retracting means.

5. A full fashioned knitting machine comprising a group of sinkers and a group of dividers, and having means for retracting said sinkers from their stitch measuring position and means for separately retracting said dividers from their stitch measurin position. v

6. A knitting machine employing sinkers and dividers for measuring the stitches particularly characterized in that the sinkers have a length different from the length of the dividers, and in that the sinkers are provided with retracting means separate from that associated with the dividers. V I

7. A knitting machine having short nosed sinkers and long nosed dividers adapted, respectively, for sequential and simultaneousadvance to stitch measuring position, means for retracting said sinkers as a group during the draw-down operation, means for retracting said dividers as a group during the draw-down operation, said retracting means presenting the tips of said'short and long noses in alignment as the new stitches are drawn therefrom, and means for thereafter further retracting said short nosed sinkers.

8. In a knitting machine, a, set of dividers, means for retractin the same, a set of sinkers, and a separate retracting means therefor, one of said sets having relatively long noses and the other having relatively short noses measured from their yarn notches to their tips, each set having its yarn notches aligned with those of the other in the stitch measuring position thereof, and said retracting means being arranged to differentially retract said sets and align the nose tips of each set with those of the other'for release of thestitches therefrom.

9. In a knitting machine, a set of dividers, means for retracting the same, a set oi. sinkers, said sinkers being shorter than said dividers, and a separate retracting means positioned forw rdly of said divider retracting means, and movable to and fro with relation thereto to permit independent advance and provide for independent retraction of said sinkers, one of said sets having relatively-long noses and the other having relatively short noses measured from their yarn notches to their tips, each set having its yarn notches aligned with those of the other in the stitch measuring position thereof, and said retracting means being arranged to difierentially retract said sets and align the nose tips of each set with those of the other for release of'the stitches therefrom.

10. In a knitting machine, a set of short nosed sinkers provided with oifset butts, a set of long nosed dividers provided with oifset butts, a divider bar engaging the divider butts, a sinker bar lying forwardly of said divider bar and movable toward and from the same, said sinker butts ex-. tending into the slot between said divider and sinker bars, and operating means for advancing said sinker bar to a forward position to provide for sequential advance of said sinkers, for advancing said divider bar to'e'fiect dividing of the stitches, for separately retracting said sinker and divider bars to align the sinker and divider noses for the knockover operation, and for thereafter further retracting said sinker bar.

KENNETH HOWIE.

REFERENCES error) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,241,988 Eissner et a1 May 13, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 136,193 Germany Mar. 8, 1902 OTHER REFERENCES 

